LeBron James sends stern message to NFL teams after Mike Evans posts 10th straight 1,000-yard season
Mike Evans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their two-game losing streak by defeating the hapless Carolina Panthers in Week 13. But on a personal note, Evans reached another milestone as he clinches his tenth consecutive 1,000-yard season.
That achievement didn't go unnoticed, as National Basketball Association icon LeBron James praised the veteran wideout. The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player also stated the obvious for those who want to acquire Evans after this season.
LeBron James congratulates Mike Evans for another 1,000-yard season
The four-time NBA champion tweeted after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week 13 victory over the Panthers:
“I mean cause he’s LIKE THAT!!! A BEAST!! Oh and somebody gone get a MONSTER If they don’t 💰 him up! I 🤎 @MikeEvans13_ 🙏🏾👑”
Mike Evans had seven catches for 162 yards and a touchdown against their NFC South division rivals. It's his third 100-yard game this season after he had six catches for 143 yards against the Tennessee Titans three weeks ago.
Evans' monster game against the Panthers gives him 1,012 receiving yards with five regular season games left. Reaching that mark gives him ten consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start his career, an NFL record.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss previously held the record with six straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career with the Minnesota Vikings.
The former Texas A&M standout had some close calls in maintaining his 1,000-yard streak. He had 1,001 receiving yards in 15 games during the 2017 season and 1,006 in 2020. His third-lowest total, 1,035 yards, occurred in 2021, the season after he won Super Bowl LV at their home turf, Raymond James Stadium.
Other than those instances, Mike Evans easily cleared 1,000 receiving yards. His career high is 1,524 yards, set in 2018. Evans has an opportunity to surpass that total if he averages 103 receiving yards during Tampa Bay's five remaining regular season games this season.
Collecting these yards (and 95 career touchdowns) made him a 2016 Second Team All-Pro member. Evans was also named to the Pro Bowl four times. His ten straight 1,000-yard seasons also puts him one behind Jerry Rice's 11 straight from 1986 to 1996. Rice also has the most 1,000-yard seasons among all wide receivers with 14.
Where will Mike Evans play in 2024?
As LeBron James mentioned, the team that will sign Mike Evans will get a high-impact player. The bidding war for him starts after the 2023 season when his five-year, $82.5 million contract extension expires.
The Buccaneers added voidable years to stretch his cap hit, but he won't be under contract when the current campaign ends.
Having solid numbers this season gives his camp the leverage during contract negotiations. The surging wide receiver market can also help inflate his price tag, as he potentially goes into free agency during the 2024 offseason.